Daily Readings - Thu Jan 16 2020
1 Samuel
1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.2And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.3And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.4So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.5And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.7And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.8Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.9Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.10And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.11And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
Mark
40And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.41And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.42And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.43And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;44And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.45But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct narratives that invite us to reflect on the essence of faith and our response to God's presence in our lives. The first reading from 1 Samuel recounts the Israelites' defeat by the Philistines, despite bringing the Ark of the Covenant into their camp. This sacred symbol, meant to embody God's presence, could not alter their fate, highlighting that mere symbols of faith, without genuine trust and devotion, are insufficient. The second reading from Mark presents a leper who, with humble faith, asks Jesus for healing. Jesus, moved by compassion, heals him and instructs him to remain silent. Yet, the leper, overwhelmed with gratitude, spreads the news widely, illustrating the transformative power of faith and the natural impulse to share God's grace.
These readings interconnect by contrasting outward symbols with inward faith. The Israelites relied on the Ark, a physical representation of God's presence, yet lacked the deeper trust needed for true victory. Conversely, the leper's faith was not in a symbol but in Jesus' power, leading to his healing and enthusiastic witness. This teaches us that faith is not merely about rituals or objects but about a genuine relationship with God, prompting us to act and share His love.
In our daily lives, this means that while traditions and symbols can enrich our faith, they must be accompanied by heartfelt trust and obedience. When we experience God's grace, like the leper, we are compelled to share it, even when it challenges us to step out of our comfort zones. The moral lesson here is that true faith transcends symbols, requiring us to trust God and live out our faith actively, sharing His love with others as a testament to His transformative power.